Waiting
by Satiah
Summary: Sasori hated waiting. However, he had made Deidara wait all afternoon. Despite the hot sun, the cold rain, and whatever else, Deidara waited. And still, Sasori never came. Perhaps this was because he was dead.


Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto

...

It was three-thirty in the afternoon, and it was damn hot outside. The sun was baking down on the lone figure sitting on a worn down park bench, irritated as he watched the world pass by. He had already been waiting for quite the while, as his partner told him to be in that exact spot at one o'clock. Sharp. Yeah, well, Deidara was there at one o' clock, _sharp_, even, but there was no sign of Sasori. He knew how mad Sasori-danna got when Deidara made him wait. He hated waiting so much that he even hated making other people wait! Deidara thought that was a bit bizarre, but then again, Sasori-danna was a little different than the rest of Akatsuki. Some sort of immortality jazz that stemmed from a fear of _aging_. Geez, Sasori wasn't even a man yet. How could he be afraid of aging if he was only sixteen? Paranoid little puppet.

But, that still didn't change the fact that Danna was two and a half hours late, and Deidara was getting baked by the angry rays of the sun. Why did the Akatsuki cloak have to be _black_? He had the damn thing totally unbuttoned and was fanning himself with his hat, but it was still too hot outside. _Figures_, he thought. _Danna would be late on the hottest day of the year. _Still annoyed, Deidara slouched further down the wooden bench with his legs crossed, one arm splayed across the back, and the other occupied with his hat.

It was four-thirty in the afternoon, and the sun was still shining down on Deidara with a vengeance. _It must have the intention of melting me into the frigging ground, un_, Deidara thought. Sasori still hadn't shown up, and Deidara was getting pissed. Sasori bit Deidara's head off every time he was even a minute late. Which was exactly why Deidara's watch was set ten minutes ahead of Sasori's. But, still, according to Danna's watch, he was four hours and twenty minutes late. This scenario was not making for a very happy Deidara.

It was six o'clock at night, and the sun had finally set low in the sky, bathing the park with a beautiful orange and red glow. The sky itself was a mix of reds, oranges, and a hint of purple, but the brilliant colors were fading fast. Deidara was lying on his back, arms crossed behind his head for a pillow as he watched the receding colors. Danna still wasn't there, and it was starting to get chilly as a breeze tossed leaves and garbage across the empting park. Deidara watched a newspaper tumble across the street to get stuck in a wet gutter, one end still flapping in the wind. _Like a chick_, he thought lamely to himself. _Trying to fly, but not yet strong enough to get anywhere_.

It was six-thirty when Deidara finally gave up. Danna was most obviously not going to show, and Deidara had endured the sprinkling of rain for the past five minutes already, and he was not too keen on the idea of getting soaked and then catching a cold. He stuffed his hat back on his head and made his way across the street, hands shoved deeply into his pockets. If he had left any earlier, Sasori-danna could have accused him of not waiting long enough. In order to avoid that particular argument, Deidara was absolutely certain that he _had_ waited long enough, but now it was time to go home. It was dark, wet, and cold, but Deidara had been where he was supposed to be. Danna couldn't possibly yell at him for that. _Hmph. He'll just find something else to fuss about instead, un,_ Deidara grumbled underneath his breath.

Deidara made it home a quarter past seven. It was very dark outside, and the clouds were thick and heavy with rain. Rain that the clouds so nicely decided to share with Deidara, who found out that neither the hat nor the cloak could withstand a thorough soaking. Sighing as he shook out his hat and set his sopping coat up to dry, he brushed the hair out of his face to take a look around. Nothing. There was no one in the kitchen glaring at him for being at the wrong park or on the wrong bench. _Figures. He's probably already in bed getting some sort of rejuvenating make-me-stay-young-forever sleep._

Deidara made his way upstairs and took his time relaxing in the hot shower, letting the steady stream of water ease the stiffness out of his back and shoulders. He watched as beads of water slid down the shower walls, and wondered where Danna was. Sighing once more, he shut off the water and climbed out of the warm sanctuary.

It was nine o'clock when Deidara finally gave up looking for Sasori. Apparently, the little bastard had no intention of being found this night. _Probably forgot all about the meeting, un_, Deidara thought bitterly. _Either that, or he's just being contrary._ Deidara forced his mind to blank before he angered himself too much to fall sleep. He unenthusiastically climbed into his bed and rolled over to stare at the ceiling.

Or, more accurately, into Sasori-danna's cold, dead eyes.

There was Danna. Tied up in his own puppet-wire, suspended from the ceiling. His eyes were huge, frozen forever with a raw, child-like terror. His heart was pierced with a variety of killing instruments, virtually leaving nothing more than a bloody hole in his once flawless chest. His blood was everywhere, splattered across his face, body, clothing, and, oh sweet goodness, even the ceiling. The blood was everywhere, staining red rivers across Danna's lifeless body as he just hung there, staring with unblinking eyes at Deidara with his blood still dripping onto the bed. Deidara was horrified, shocked out of speech, or the ability to draw breath, even. Unable to move until a drop of dark, red blood fell onto his cheek.

The scream could have been heard throughout Akatsuki's empty hideout.

Deidara woke with a start, in a cold sweat, still yelling. Footsteps thundered through the halls, pounding in his head, threatening to make it explode. Deidara's hands flew to cover his ears as his eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to drown out the nightmarish remnants of his vision. His heart raced; his breathing became shallow and rapid. The door exploded open as various Akatsuki members barreled into the room, everyone trying to calm him down.

_Just a dream_, they said. It was just a dream. _Shhh, Deidara, we're here, it's alright. _It would be alright. They were all there, supporting him. They were all there. They were all…

Except for Sasori-danna.

Deidara's anguish could still be heard throughout the hideout.


End file.
